As it happened: Cyclone Michaung not severe, has weakened to cyclonic storm, says IMD

Following weather disruptions, Foxconn in Taiwan resumed operations on Tuesday at its Indian facility producing Apple iPhones, according to two sources cited by MoneyControl. Production had been halted on Monday (Dec 4) due to heavy rain and an approaching cyclone near Chennai. Foxconn declined to comment, and there was no response from Apple.

NLC India, a government-owned entity, has deployed high-capacity pumps commonly utilised in lignite mines to drain water from flooded zones in Chennai.

"To supplement the efforts of Chennai Corporation, yesterday NLC India Ltd has come forward to lend a helping hand by sending 16 numbers of giant high capacity pumps which are used in NLC lignite Mines," the PSU said in a statement.

IAF Chetak helicopters are in action for flood relief in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Relief materials, including food packets and rations, were dropped near Adyar and Chennai Harbour areas. Two helicopters were deployed in the evening to aid cyclone-affected areas with more sorties planned. The operation is closely coordinated with the Tamil Nadu state government and AFS Tambaram.

Due to the intense rainfall from Cyclone Michaung, around 200 table tennis players aged U-11 to U-19, along with their families, find themselves stranded in Vijayawada, as per PTI reports.

Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the TDP chief and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, expressed dissatisfaction with the State Government, asserting that it has significantly fallen short in delivering shelter, food, and water to the victims of Cyclone Michaung.

"The Government is not prepared to prevent the damage caused by the cyclone and did not even extend any kind of assistance to the flood-hit," Chandrababu said in a press note.

The Tamil Nadu government asserts that 80 per cent of power supply and 70 per cent of mobile networks in Chennai have been reinstated amidst the heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Michaung, as reported by ANI. 

On Tuesday (Dec 5), the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced the conclusion of the landfall process of Cyclone Michuang. The cyclone caused extensive damage in the southern regions of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, leading to the unfortunate loss of 12 lives in the southern city of Chennai.

The IMD further noted, “It lay over south coastal Andhra Pradesh near latitude 15.8N and long 80.3E, about 15 km southwest of Bapatla and 40 km northeast of http://Ongole.It is likely to move nearly northwards and weaken into a Cyclonic Storm during next 2 hours."

Before Cyclone Michaung makes landfall in Andhra Pradesh, a team of NDRF officers have arrived at the Bapatla beach to secure the area and ensure all necessary safety protocols

The cyclone made landfall in Andhra Pradesh with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 km per hour, gusting to 110 km per hour. Officials said the landfall process will continue for about three hours. 

IndiGo cancelled as many as 550 flights connecting Chennai since yesterday after the runway was flooded due to heavy rain under the influence of Cyclone Michaung.
Besides, according to NDTV.

Moreover, a thousand flights were impacted across the country in the knock-on effect.

With Chennai airport now resuming operations this morning, IndiGo was expected to resume its flights from Chennai around noon.

Government of Tamil Nadu has announced holiday for all schools and colleges in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts tomorrow (Dec 6).

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, severe cyclonic storm Michaung is expected to make landfall close to Bapatla in south Andhra Pradesh coast within the next four hours.

During landfall, Michaung is expected to bring gales with speeds of 90 – 100 km per hour, gusting up to 110 kmph.

The weather system over the west-central Bay of Bengal, running along and off the south Andhra Pradesh coast, is likely to move nearly northwards, parallel and close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast, Met Department said.

Taiwan's Foxconn and Pegatron halted Apple iPhone production at their facilities near Chennai due to heavy rains, Reuters reported quoting sources familiar with the development on Monday.

Nearly 900 people living in villages along the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh have been evacuated ahead of Cyclone Michaung's landfall. The storm is expected to hit Bapatla district within hours, residents have been advised against going outdoors.

North coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are expected to experience light to moderate rainfall in most places and isolated heavy rainfall on Tuesday morning, decreasing thereafter, according to the latest IMD bulletin, reports PTI news agency.

The forecast of reduced rainfall intensity comes as a relief after Cyclone Michaung wreaked havoc across Chennai and adjoining districts, causing flooding and disrupting normal life on Monday.

According to the IMD, Cyclone Michaung is reaching close to Bapatla coastal city of Andhra Pradesh, and will most likely make a landfall in the next 4 hours.

The name Michaung was proposed by Myanmar, denoting resilience and fortitude. The cyclone is the sixth to develop in the Indian Ocean this year and fourth to form in the Bay of Bengal. The Indian Meteorological Department had predicted that Cyclone Michaung was expected to form in southwest Bay of Bengal on December 3.

Cyclone names in various ocean basins around the world are designated by Regional Specialised Meteorological Centers (RSMCs) and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers (TCWCs) within their respective regions. The global coordination of this procedure is managed by six RSMCs. The proposal is then sent to The World Meteorological Organisation, which finalises the name.

In view of possible heavy rainfall due to cyclonic storm Michaung over the Bay of Bengal, all the primary, upper primary, high school and anganwadi centre shall remain closed on 6th December 2023: Office of the Collector and District Magistrate, Gajapati

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that his government was taking all necessary measures on a war-footing to provide relief in the wake of Cyclone Michaung disrupting normal life. Relief measures in rain-affected regions are being implemented immediately, with various department personnel, including police, fire, and rescue, being deployed in large numbers as a preventive mechanism, he stated.

“The government is taking all precautionary measures on a war-footing in response to heavy rainfall over the last two days due to Cyclone Michaung causing devastation in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu districts,” Stalin mentioned in an official release.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials to be on high alert for taking up relief measures as Cyclone Michaung is expected to make landfall shortly.

Around 15,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and near waterbodies in Avadi, Tambaram and Chennai corporations and accommodated in relief camps. There are 200 relief camps in Chennai and 100 more in other outskirts.

Heavy to very heavy rains accompanied by storng winds lashed in many parts of Nellore, Prakasam and Bapatla districts in Andhra Pradesh, affecting power supply also in some districts.

In light of the weather, the Chennai airport has been closed till 9 AM (local time) on Tuesday (Dec 5). On monday, several flights were disrupted with 10 flights being cancelled while 20 flights being delayed due to heavy rains since midnight.

Chennai has reported five deaths related to the heavy rains, police said on Monday. Among the casualties, two individuals succumbed to electrocution, while another lost their life when a tree fell in the affluent Besant Nagar area.

The Tamil Nadu government has declared holiday for schools, colleges and govt offices on Tuesday (Dec 5).

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclonic storm Michuang will transform into 'severe cyclonic storm' after crossing  the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam close to Bapatla on Dec 5 in the afternoon.

"Severe Cyclonic Storm MICHAUNG over Westcentral Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamilnadu coasts moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 07 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centered at 0230 hours IST of 5 Dec, 2023, about 20 km north-northeast of Nellore, 170 km north of Chennai, 150 km south of Bapatla and 210 km south-southwest of Machilipatnam. As the system is nearly moving northwards close to coast, some parts of the wall cloud region lies over land. Likely to move nearly northwards parallel and close to south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam, close to Bapatla during forenoon of 5th December as a Severe Cyclonic Storm," it has tweeted.